Washboard



WASHBOARD, APPLICATION FILED, FEB. [8, 19.18

Patented May 4,1920.

awuuntoz SIM,

GEORGE W. SHOEMAKER, or DALTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASI-IBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1920.

A Application filed February 18, 1918. Serial No. 217,809. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SHon- MAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dalton, in the county of Lackawanna.

and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements 1n \Vashboards, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in Washboards, and the pr1- mary object of the invention is to provlde a washboard provided with means for holdlng a piece of soap therein so that it is disposed in the rubbing surface of the board, so that the articles washed may be soaped at the same time they are rubbed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washboad of this character, provided with means for holding a piece of soap within the rubbing surface thereof, and additional means for ejecting the soap through the opening in the rubbing surface as the same is used.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is easily and simply constructed, inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will be very efficient in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in view, my invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be herein referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the washboard,

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, and r Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the ejector member.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the washboard.

In describing my invention, 1 shall refer to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a washboard of the conventional type, being provided with a front rubbing plate or surface 2, which however in this type of board, extends entirely to the top or upper edge thereof, the soap holding recess in the top of the board being eliminated in this form of device.

The board 1 is provided with a substantially rectangularshaped opening 3 there- 7 through at a point adjacent its upper edge, said opening being substantially the same size as an ordinary piece of laundry soap, and 'adapted'to receive'the same therein. Theopening 3 is provided with a lining l that is secured therein,-and which has alining openings 5 in its upper and lower edges, which openings are adapted to aline with an opening in the back of the board 1, said opening being designated by the numeral 6,

and extending through the topthereof. The opening is adapted to receive a holding rod, which is preferably formedof wire 7, that extends through the top of the board and alining openings in the lining 1, so as to securely hold a piece of soap in the opening 8. This wire holder is removable, so that it will not interfere with placing a piece of soap in position, within the opening in the board.

A transversely extending cross bar 8 is secured-to the back of the board 1, with its upper edge alining with the lower edge of the opening 3; The cross bar 8 is formed with av block 9 that extends above the same and is disposed in alinement with said opening and is provided with a pocket which extends through the sides of the block and is accessible through its top. Slidably mounted upon the upper surface of the bar 8, is a plunger plate constituting a U-shaped follower 10 having a pair of rearwardly extending side members 11, which have their through the front of the opening 3. The

front of the plunger plate 10 is provided with a vertical groove 14 therein which is adapted to receive the holding rod '7, so that the cakeof soap may be entirely forced through the opening 3.

In operation, when a cake of soap is positioned within the opening 3, the rod 7 is projected therethrough, by placingth e same in the groove in the back of the board through the opening in the top thereof, and the soap will be securely held in position. The front face of the soap will be disposed in alinement with the rubbing surface of the board, so that articles being washed are soaped at the same time they are being rubbed. When the soap is used, it may be forced through the opening by rotating the adjusting screw 13, to move the plunger plate forwardly. Movement of the plunger plate is guided by the side members 11, and when the soap has been forced entirely through the opening 3, the holding rod 7 will be positioned within the groove, so that the portions of the soap on opposite sides thereof may be forced out through said opening so that the soap may be entirely used.

7 Thisdevice affords a very simple and efficient means for positioning the soap during the washing operation, so that it will soap the articles washed at the same time they are being rubbed. The novel arrangement employed does away with the necessity of not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

The combination with a washboard having an opening in its rubbing plate, of a block secured to the rear. side of the board and having a pocket extending through the sides of said block and coincident to the opening and accessible through the top of said block, a U-shaped follower straddling the block with the sides of the follower outside of said block andworking against its sides, and a feed screw threaded in the block and operative against the follower.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto. 7 V V GEORGE W. SHOEMAKER. 

